State Bar News
| Publication year | 2017 |
| Pages | 45 |
| Citation | Vol. 30 No. 1 Pg. 45 |
January, 2017
Commission Highlights
The Utah State Bar Board of Commissioners received the following reports and took the actions indicated during the October 21, 2016 Commission Meeting held at the Utah Valley Convention Center in Provo, Utah.
1. The Bar Commission voted to purchase a table for the Utah Minority Bar Association (UMBA) awards banquet on November 17, 2016.
2. The Bar Commission voted to give Patrick Anderson the Professionalism Award.
3. The Bar Commission voted to give JoLynn Spruance the Community Member of the Year Award.
4. The Bar Commission voted to give Andrea Martinez Griffin and Blake Hills the Outstanding Mentor Award.
5. The Bar Commission voted to give Greg Skordas the Outstanding Pro Bono Service Award.
6. The Bar Commission voted to accept the audit report for the 2015–2016 fiscal year.
7. The Bar Commission voted to approve spending up to $3,000 through the end of year for a Practice Management Advisor to consult regarding all of the practice management projects currently before the Commission.
8. The Bar Commission approved by consent agenda the Minutes of the September 16, 2016 Commission Meeting.
9. The Bar Commission approved by consent agenda combining the Cyber Law and Communications Law Sections.
10. A list of suggestions for appropriate uses of Section funds was distributed to the Commission liaisons to Bar Sections. These suggestions have been presented to the leadership of each Section in various settings, and will be again, to help them engage in valuable and appropriate activities and to utilize their funds in valuable ways for their members. The suggested uses are:
• Subsidize Outstanding and Specialized Outside Speakers for CLE’s and Bar Conventions
• Subsidize CLE Registration Fees for Members
• Subsidized CLE Lunches for Members
• Provide Scholarships for Members or Officers to attend Bar Conventions
• Contribute Tuition Funds to Law Students
• Organize and Subsidize Section Socials
• Make Contributions to Worthy Related Charitable Groups
• Reduce next year’s dues for those who were members last year
• Develop Section resources, like creating form libraries, mentoring videos, creating newsletters
• Help Sponsor YLD Programs, like Serve our Seniors and Wills for Heroes
• Provide free memberships or ‘scholarships’ for new admittees/non-profit attorneys
• Promote the section to the public, publicizing topics like, “What a (Section) law attorney can do for you.”
The minute text of this and other meetings of the Bar Commission are available at the office of the Executive Director.
Utah Bar Mentoring Awards – Call for Nominations
The Utah Bar is seeking nominations for its annual Breakfast of Champions mentoring awards. All members of the Bar are eligible – this is not a New Lawyers Training Program award. The annual Breakfast of Champions will be held on February 23 to recognize nominees as well as honor the three award recipients.
The mentoring awards have been named after three exceptional mentors in our community:
1. The Charlotte Miller Mentoring Award
2. The James Lee Mentoring Award
3. The Paul Moxley Mentoring Award
Recognized nominations will be included in a published booklet in appreciation of our great mentors. Nominations should be substantive, and include details including how the attorney mentor exceeded expectations in the mentoring relationship. Send nominations, in 400 words or less, to Christy Abad, christy.abad@utahbar.org, by January 31. One submission/nomination per attorney.
We would like to sincerely thank Xact Data Discovery for their sponsorship of the commemorative booklets, and the Stewart Hansen Society for their sponsorship of this event.
2016 Utah Bar Journal Cover of the Year
The winner of the Utah Bar Journal Cover of the Year award for 2016 is Blue Sky Over Red Rock by Utah State Bar member James C. Bergstedt. James’s photo, taken while on a hike in Zion National Park, appeared on the cover of the May/June 2016 issue.
Congratulations to James, and thank you to the more than 100 contributors who have provided photographs for the Bar Journal covers over the past twenty-eight years.
The Bar Journal editors encourage members of the Utah State Bar or Paralegal Division, who are interested in having photographs they have taken of Utah scenes published on the cover of the Utah Bar Journal, to submit their photographs for consideration. For details and instructions, please see page 5 of this issue. (A tip for prospective photographers: preference is given to high resolution portrait (tall) rather than landscape (wide) photographs. We are currently in particular need of fall and winter scenes.)
Notice of Bar Commission Election
First and Third Divisions
Nominations to the office of Bar Commissioner are hereby solicited for one member from the First Division and three members from the Third Division, each to serve a three-year term. Terms will begin in July 2017. To be eligible for the office of Commissioner from a division, the nominee’s business mailing address must be in that division as shown by the records of the Bar. Applicants must be nominated by a written petition of ten or more members of the Bar in good standing whose business mailing addresses are in the division from which the election is to be held. Nominating petitions are available at http://www.utahbar.org/bar-operations/leadership/. Completed petitions must be submitted to John Baldwin, Executive Director, no later than February 1, 2017, by 5:00 p.m.
NOTICE: Balloting will be done electronically. Ballots will be e-mailed on or about April 3rd with balloting to be completed and ballots received by the Bar office by 5:00 p.m. April 17th.
In order to reduce out-of-pocket costs and encourage candidates, the Bar will provide the following services at no cost:
1. space for up to a 200-word campaign message plus a color photograph in the March/April issue of the Utah Bar Journal. The space may be used for biographical information, platform or other election promotion. Campaign messages for the March/April Bar Journal publications are due along with completed petitions and two photographs no later than February 1st;
2. space for up to a 500-word campaign message plus a photograph on the Utah Bar website due February 1st;
3. a set of mailing labels for candidates who wish to send a personalized letter to the lawyers in their division who are eligible to vote; and
4. a one-time email campaign message to be sent by the Bar. Campaign message will be sent by the Bar within three business days of receipt from the candidate.
If you have any questions concerning this procedure, please contact John C. Baldwin at (801) 531-9077 or at director@utahbar.org.
2017 Spring Convention Awards
The Board of Bar Commissioners is seeking applications for two Bar awards to be given at the 2017 Spring Convention. These awards honor publicly those whose professionalism, public service, and public dedication have significantly enhanced the administration of justice, the delivery of legal services, and the improvement of the profession. Award applications must be submitted in writing to Christy Abad, Executive Secretary, 645 South 200 East, Suite 310, Salt Lake City, UT 84111, no later than Friday, January 13, 2017. You may also fax a...
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